A Collection of Shorts
by Raven6224
Summary: This is a collection of my unfinished fanfictions, the majority are written for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I've kept original authors notes and have added current ones to inform readers about the stories. Some have more chapters written than others. These are just the stories I don't think I'll be returning to, at least not anytime soon...
1. From Ashes: It's Just Temporary

From Ashes: It's Just Temporary

A/N: 2019

Okay, so I'll write it here, these stories are incomplete and (at the moment) don't see myself ever completing them. I figured it'd be best to at least let them see the light of the day, even if they have no ending. This one is the first chapter out of six (last is a partial). I'll do my best to clearly label them for which stories are connected to other chapters. I've also kept the original authors notes written so I'll label current ones with the year.

P.S: Please note that these were originally written in 2015 and aren't current with the MCU timeline...

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**_I've never really made a fanfiction with romance in it so I intend to try it out so bare with me here, and BTW Tony and Pepper don't like/end up with each other so this story is a Tony/oc because I had to try it out. Oh and Raven Heartz _**_( )_**_ original idea for this sort of story inspired me, so go check her out and all her amazing stories! _**

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Stepping out of a cab in New York City I am suddenly, horrifically aware of the loud grumbling of traffic, clicking of heels and thundering footsteps, and don't even get me started on all the loud, annoying voices that rattle into my eardrum and irritate my brain. There's only one reason I'm here in one of the busiest cities in the United States.

Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries asked me to fill in as... ugh! Tony Stark, the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist PA temporarily while she searches for a permanent replacement. Last time she and I spoke on the phone she told me the most difficult part of picking a replacement is all reliant on the womanizer himself.

Apparently Stark's picky because he refuses to have a male PA so that cuts out at least half of the possible candidates but then she has to find a professional who won't be swept away but him charm, charisma, and continual flirtatious nature because as soon as he beds them, they're out the front door.

Women love to say they've had a chance to be in the bed of Tony Stark when they're actually the idiots as they don't realize that there is nothing they actual gain from bragging. After, they're degraded and bashed all over the web by the tabloids and other gossiping news sites like TMZ or in magazines.

Sighing at the large, expensive tower looming over me, I know it's now or later so I step forward, pushing through the doors and am greeting by a Happy Hogan, a larger man in a black suit with a red tie. While I've never met him in personally, Pepper must have informed him of my arrival today as he already had a badge ready for me.

Said something about everyone in the building having to wear one for security reasons. Rather than argue about having to pin a badge to my black and purple floral top, I just pin it like I'm told to and head up in the elevator. My foot taps against the floor of the small rectangular room as it slowly ascends upwards.

As soon as the elevator pings, I step out into a living area and instantly regret agreeing to temporarily manage Tony Stark's life . A woman with unnatural, cherry colored hair stands stark naked, thankfully she has a light blue bed sheet wrapped around her naked body. Her hair's disheveled, most likely due to being pounded into his mattress.

Suddenly, her azure colored eyes land on me. Her arms tighten around the sheet up by her chest and she suddenly looks sickly, pale white like a ghost. "O-oh my God, I'm so, so sorry. I-I had no idea that h-he had a girlfriend, he-he never said any—"

"I am not his girlfriend, nor would I ever be," I quip, straightening a bit when the loud clicking of high heels near. Pepper rounds the corner with clothes in a dry-cleaner bag. Her strawberry blonde hair falls to her shoulders, straight and completely neat. Black heels stopping an inch from Cherry.

Pepper flashes a nice but professional smile, one she's perfected over the years. "I have your clothes here; they've been dry cleaned and pressed. And there's a there's a car outside waiting to take you wherever you'd like to go."

Cherry reaches out, takes her clothes and scurries away to a bathroom nearby, probably to change into normal attire. Not even a minute later she hurries out and mumbles a low, embarrassed goodbye and proceeds to exits the premises. As soon as she's gone I give a groan of disgust and Pepper gives a slight chuckle.

"Once you've worked for Tony Stark as long as I have, you learn how to get rid of his late night escapades, in fact that was the easiest it's ever been to dismissed them," Pepper comments. "Follow me and I can discuss what exactly you'll be doing and a few tricks of the trade that I've learned over the years."

She walks into the living area where the naked woman once was and takes a seat at a kitchen table in a connected kitchen section. I sit down carefully in the seat across from Pepper. She and I have been friends for a long time now but I still have the urge to make a good impression even though I really don't want to do this.

"Pep, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, unlike you, I'm quick-tempered and I don't even like to babysit my sisters kids so how am I supposed to babysit a fully grown adult man?" I whine, letting my shoulders sag.

She gives me a pointed look. "I know but it's only temporary and I don't have to worry about finding a replace for my temporary replacement because you utterly loathe him and would never sleep with him."

"Yeah, I hate him so why do I have to spend all this time with him when you know we're not going to get along. I could be home right now finishing my latest book."

"Alex, you could have brought your laptop here," Pepper says, light-heartily rolling her eyes.

Running my hands through my hair I finally cave in. "Fine, but this is temporary Pepper, I won't get roped into spending my life kicking out the girls he beds."

"Never, besides, I don't want you here any longer than I have to anyways because Tony Stark always has a way of ruining any of my friendships with other women by sleeping with them and never calling them again or just by making them hate him and thus they end up hating me."

"He'd have to do hell of a lot worse than that to get me to stop talking to you, besides, I'll never be another girl in his bed," I say, shuttering at the thought. I'd have to be drugged or something to ever sleep with Tony Stark besides the obvious of my hatred of him, I don't plan on risking the chance of catching any STD's.

And then there's that one thing from before, Pepper knows all about it. It was something, multiple somethings, that happened in my past that make me so defensive. I'm always on guard to keep myself from getting hurt and that's what kept me alive all these years and with that defense mechanism, I'll survive this hell.

"Now I'll do a brief rundown of all the things you'll need to do and send a daily schedule of stuff you'll have to get Tony to do," Pepper starts talking about important people to know, a carefully printed out schedule of times of when to leave in the morning, where he needs to be and what time he'll have to leave to get there.

Thinking about it now, this is more difficult than babysitting a child, at least they don't have anything important to do...


	2. First Day's Always the Hardest

From Ashes: The First Day's always the Hardest

**_Here's the second chapter of this new story I've started and I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as I enjoy writing this and I am going slowly to make a serious plotline and trust me, Alex has a very unique past, anyways please comment and favorite this story _**

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I managed to luck out yesterday as it was only an orientation sort of event meeting, I was not required to stay in the Playboy Mansion with Tony Stark but from now until his new full time PA is instated, I'm required to live in the tower to be able to help Stark whenever he needs assistance. Yet another reason I regret taking this job.

At least when I arrive to the tower there's no naked woman standing in the rooms center, this time. I set my fake black leather purse down on the chair residing in the kitchen where I sat last night. Tony Stark's schedule, given to me by Pepper, is held under a wooden clipboard, giving me easy access so I can figure out what is coming next.

It's deathly silent in the room so it can only be concluded that Stark is in his garage slash work area tinkering with whatever latest project he's creating. I enter the elevator, press the bottom floor button, and wait while it descends. AC/DC blares throughout the room the second the door opens, it's so loud that I have to cover my ears to keep them from bleeding.

"JARVIS," I say, looking up at the ceiling though I know there isn't anything to see. "Turn off the music in the the garage."

"Yes Miss Taylor," the British, disembodied voice replies as the room is instantly silent with the exception of a blow torch and the loud, male voice the pipes in when the silence hits.

"What the hell JARVIS! I never said to turn my music off..." a man who I can only assume to be Tony Stark turns around, eyes landing on me at a moments notice. Keeping a passive expression I step further into the room and pay him no mind,

"I told him to, you need to get cleaned up because we have to leave in just over an hour so I suggest you go do that," I say, gaze on the schedule as I write off to the side any other things Pepper told me needed to be discussed at the meeting he was to attend soon.

A sly smiles creeps across his lips as a shutter skitters down my spine. He rises to his feet, messy brown hair falling everywhere, he takes a few steps towards me. "Oh, for you I'd be more than happy to clean up, there's plenty of time to get dirty again."

I give a humorless smile and let it fall away and transform to a deep seated frown. "You have a meeting with the Industry Board about your latest projects. You'll need to dress nice, I suggest a black Armani suit and a red tie, make you seem more professional... and tolerable," I mumble the last bit under my breath.

"What was that Doll?" he smirks, stepping even closer.

"Don't call me that, now get ready for your meeting. I'll be in the kitchen when you are," turning I stride from the room without even glancing back. My nerves are erupting like fireworks but not in a good way. I can't stand the guy, he meets me for the first time and his instant reaction is to flirt with me, what the hell?

Time seems to pass but fifteen minutes until departure time and Tony Stark still hasn't made an appearance, that doesn't settle well with me so I get up and head back down to the garage to see him there still. Sitting at the same long table bench tinkering away as if he hadn't head a single word I had said.

He's still dressed in a AC/DC shirt, grease stained blue jeans, and not doing what I asked. Confidence is evident in my walk as I am on the war path now. Stark doesn't seem to notice I re-entered as he continues doing whatever it is that he's doing. A sinister grin coats my scarlet lips as I move my foot towards the four-leg stool he sits on.

Kicking the chair our from under him he clatters to the ground, and looks up. Brown eyes glaring daggers at me but I don't care anyways, I'm seeing red. "Go get ready for that meeting!" I shout, arms shaking beside me.

"No," he protests, crossing his arms over his chest. He sticks out his tongue like a young child in a prissy mood and I'm not in the mood to be dealing with it. I grab him by the ear and drag him kicking and whining into the elevator, releasing his ear as soon as the door closes. He glares at me but a kind of playfulness flickers back.

Stark lightly pets his ear as if that will stop the aching and redness that is slowly beginning to show. "Well Miss... I don't even know as she never was kind enough to introduce herself, you're a fiery one aren't you. A bit odd considering you don't have red hair but whatever, I can deal," he finishes, shrugging his shoulders.

"Taylor, Miss Taylor thank you very much. I am only here because Pepper asked me to and I refuse to let her down, so this is how this will work. You will go to these meetings, be on your best behavior, and not tempt me to push you off the roof of this tower. It'll make everyone much calmer if we're on the same page," I say, glancing back down at the clipboard.

"Why would I want to make anything easy for you? Besides, I don't follow orders _Miss_ Taylor..." he mocks, raising an eyebrow when using the word miss before my last name. Like I wasn't woman enough for a title as such.

"Now," I say, putting everything else he's said and done aside for the time being. "Get cleaned up or at the very least, look like you have some class. Happy agreed to drive both you and I to the meeting. Ms. Potts will be there as well so I suggest you behave so you're not boiling in hot water."

"Do you have any emotions outside the skilled art of stoic expression. By this point, I could hold a race for the most emotionless person on the planet, like Capsicle, you do know who that is right?"

"Steve Rogers, Captain America to most. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1918's and lived through the 40's and fought in World War II. Yes, I know who that is," my tone is void.

"Jeez, did you write an autobiography on the Star-Spangled Man in skintight blue spandex?" Tony asks, stepping closer to me, invading my personal space. _He's too close..._

My mental thoughts whispers to me, subtly I skirt a few slight movements away. Suddenly he spins to face me, stepping forward. I step back and we continue like this until I'm backed against a wall. Damn these enclosed spaces!

Tony Stark leans in close to me, lips inches away from my own, and I can feel uncomfortably and nerves shiver through me. Please don't kiss me, please don't kiss me. I dig one of my hands into my thigh and the other into the wooden clipboard to keep my body from shaking.

"You Miss Taylor are one of the most hot-headed personal assistants I've ever had, Pepper was pretty high up on the list but I can see something, you've been hurt. I will unravel the mystery that you are," he says, just as the elevator door pings as it opens. Tilting my head up, our lips even closer I whisper back.

"I think it best if you go get ready Mr. Stark," I pull away, pushing past him and trotting from the elevator, thankful to be out from under his intense gaze. My heart thunders in my chest and I can't seem to calm myself.

I knew this was a bad idea from the very start...


	3. A Lesson in Anger Management

From Ashes: A Lesson in Anger Management

**_Welcome back to the next chapter in this new series of mine, I hope you're all enjoying it and be sure to favorite it and leave me comments so I know it's worth it to continue, anyways so last time Alexandria and Tony Stark met for the first time and now they have to go to a meeting._**

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Seated next to Tony Stark in the middle of a very important Board Meeting has to be the most frustrating event to happen to me since I graduated college with my Bachelors Degree. All the students annoyed me, they would constantly ask me for the answers to their assignments, and make fun of me when my back was turned, but this takes the cake.

I would rather go back to college and relive my hellish experience again then sit in this meeting, trying to ignore the barrage of text messages, subtle glances, and tapping of his hand on my waist. My phone buzzes lightly and I glance down, at the mail image, already knowing it's a text from the playboy himself. Based on the annoyed flicker across Pepper's face, it's clear he's annoying her as well.

Opening the text despite not wanting to in the least I read over the words. All he talks about is how the man across from us is wearing an expensive toupee to try and convince us all that he is younger than he really is. In reality the man has to be about fifty but it's still rude for him to talk bad about this man, especially when he is right in front of us.

Kicking him under the table, I notice him tense as to keep from crying out as I hit him in the leg with the heel of my stilettos. Biting back a smile, I flip open the manila folder before me as scan over the documents inside as the higher ups speak about budgets and ways to improve business outcomes and bring in more revenue but quite honestly, I could not understand anything he said.

They are far more intelligent than I when it comes to business and finances, this proves just how far out of my element that I truly am. Pepper really should have found someone else to temporarily fill in for this job. Maybe someone who knew something about all these business aspects of Stark Industries and why I have to be here is beyond me.

This isn't even remotely a recommended place for a PA to be, my job is to keep Tony Stark out of trouble and get him from place to place as well as make sure he eats and keeps himself alive but this, is certainly not something I want to participate in. Plus, the only reason I'm even doing this is, besides the fact that Pepper asked, is because of the pay I'll get for this.

It's the only way I can get far away from... Shaking my head, I realize that they board members have stood up and are shaking the hands of people around the table, after shaking hands with Stark they, and the rest of their crew exit the room leaving only Pepper, Tony, and me. Pepper gets up, dressed in a knee length white pencil skirt and a similar white jacket top and a light blue blouse.

She locks the door to the meeting room, and steps towards us, well towards Tony Stark with blazing green eyes filled with annoyance. "What the hell is the matter with you!?" she hisses in a low whisper.

"What, I said the truth," Tony replies, shrugging like it's no big deal but by the way he is tensed, I can tell he is intimidated by Pepper's something shrill voice and blazing anger and it makes me glad that I'm not the one at the receiving end of it. Pepper can be incredibly scary when she wants to be, that's why I always try to stay on her good side.

"No, you weren't Tony, you and I both know that and really, in the middle of a Board Meeting you decide to play your little game of how many people can I oust in a one hour time frame. What if one of them saw the texts off one of our phones?"

He points a finger at her in a knowing way. "Ah! But they didn't so it doesn't matter."

Pepper's eyes widen and she steps forward, arms raised like she's going to strangle him but then drops her arms to her said and steps towards the door, stopping by me to whisper in my ear. "I wish you all the luck in the world to deal with him. Most people bail after the first day of dealing with Tony."

She unlocks the door, slipping from the room soundlessly, leaving me and Stark alone in the Board Meeting room. Pulling the clipboard up so I can read the agenda written on it, I check Board Meeting off the list.

"Time to get you back to the tower Mr. Stark," I said, keeping my voice void of any and all emotions. Knowing it's better if he can't figure out a wage to play on my nerves, or at least know what sets me off in a tizzy. It's much harder to find my tells if I keep myself in a strictly professional manner and that's what I intend to do until Pepper finds a permanent replacement.

"How could Pep not find that funny?" Stark rants, falling into step with me as I head towards the elevator located down the hallway to to the left from the Board Meeting room. The down arrow button lights brightly when I press it, leaning back against the wall as we wait for the elevator to open.

"She should've known I was gonna make some jokes at the very least, all this serious big-bang-bore meeting stuff ain't really my forte, prefer the tech work more that all the snooty higher-ups," he rolls his dark brown eyes, sighing in annoyance.

Still, I say nothing and instead opt to let him continue his verbal ranting, at least until the elevator opens and I step forward, into the small rectangular room and place my hand on the railing. Stark steps in beside me, as I press the button labeled MAIN FLOOR. He continues to whine about it, so much that I want to slam his head into the button panel in the elevator, luckily the door opens before I seriously consider the idea.

Happy Hogan sits on a black leather couch shaped into an almost complete circle in the rooms center, obviously designed that way so guests can get out of the seats easier. He rises to his feet when he sees us approaching, nodding a short but obviously hello. Reaching into his pocket he pulls out a set of car keys and we all step out onto the sidewalk.

Camera's flash the second we do, crowds of people all around, squealing and shoving microphones at us, well at Tony Stark, I pay no mind, keep my head up, and say absolutely nothing. That only encourages the news reporters more if you pay attention to them, Stark seems to think the same thing, that could be because of how few female reporters are surrounding us at the moment.

I shake my head and attempt to keep from snorting in disgust, I don't even want to sit next to him in a car fully clothed. How could any woman in her right mind what to actually sleep with him, eww. A shutter runs down my spine. We slip into the limousine where I scoot against the door to put as much distance between Mr. Stark and myself as physically as possible.

Just as Happy starts the vehicle and I think this torture has come to an end, Tony Stark has to open his big fat mouth and I just want to smack him so hard that he falls from the limo in his stupid suit so at least I'll get some amusement out of all this.

"Actually, Happy, there's a new casino that's having its Grand Opening today and I plan to be there," I glare at him, biting the inside of my mouth as to hold back a frustrated scream from bursting forth from my lungs.

"Of course Sir, anything you want," is all Happy says in return and I know instantly that this is gonna be the longest day of my entire life, maybe I could just work at a McDonalds to make some money rather than deal with this living hell.


	4. Slot Machines and Girls

From Ashes: Slot Machines and Girls Just Barely Eighteen. Yippie!

A/N 2019: Originally when I wrote this title to this chapter it didn't sound so bad in my head, but now it feels, not quite slandering, but not a very good showing, certainly not a title I'd give now, but since it's the original title I figured I'd leave it. A testament to the past.

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_**Here we go, the next chapter of this new story I began. I hope you're all enjoying this little story, the real plotline will begin to form soon so get ready for it and what do you think of the relationship between Alex and Tony at the moment. Favorite and leave me comments below.**_

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Girls cheer loudly, whistling like the slutty women the wish they were while tripping over their high heels from the sheer amount of alcohol consumed in the last three hours since the casino opened. Tony stands at one of the tables, throwing dice across the green fabric tabletop as at least three girls cling on his arm and hang on to every word he says.

I roll my eyes, snorting in disgust at these women so easily overcome by hormones that they'd be so desperate for one chance of recognition by being another girl Tony Stark's rolled around with in his STD infested bed of horrors. It's the ride that no mentally sane person would want to go on, weed must be the cause because that's the only reason any self-respecting woman would go home with him.

One of the girls clinging to him, the only one at her right, leans close to his ears and puckers up her puffy pink lips and whispers something to here that I can't hear at this distance. Regardless, whatever she said catches his attention as he turns to her, an eyebrow raised and a cocky smirk across his face. He turns to the person in charge of the table, gathering what money he won before starting towards me with an arm looped through Blondie's.

He sends the girl out, whispering something in her ear and she gives a glossy red smile before nodding and turning towards the doorway, he watches her as she struts away with obviously intentional swaying hips. Resisting the urge to gag, I glance around subtly in search of a restroom in the need of having to get to a toilet in a hurry.

My luck proves horrible when I find the restroom, on the other side of the casino, through the sea of tipsy and blackout drunk gamblers and I'd really rather not have to push through that crowd. Tony turns to me once the door where Blondie fled through slams shut, I keep my expression neutral and pretend to be glancing at something real important on my iPhone screen.

"Do you need something Mr. Stark?" I say, feigning lack of concentration on him. "If not, then I'd be more than happy to go, many meetings and other public outings that need to be planned. In fact, Pepper and I have plans so I should be leaving."

He narrows his eyes at me a moment, like he's trying to read my mind or something before shaking his head a moment. "No, actually, I need your help with something. Nothing too big."

I say the first thing that comes to my mind and want to smack myself in the head with a brick the moment it slips out. "I am not chloroforming that woman, I don't care how much you'll offer in exchange."

He glares at me a moment before shaking his head. "No, that's not what I was gonna say Doll. And besides, I don't need to drug anyone, every girl wants a ride, but since you brought it up, are you jealous? I have enough room in my bed for one more."

I mime killing myself with both a gun and by using a rope, shuttering after at just the thought of it. "Eww, that's so freaking nasty, I'd rather lick someone with toe fungus before sleeping with you. That's certainly more sanity and less likely to create a new disease to spread around like the mosquitoes do with the West Nile Virus."

He smirks at me a moment. "Ha, ha! Funny, but you should probably pay for a hotel because things will be getting hot n' heavy and pretty damn wild, and trust me, it'll definitely be loud. "

Tony turns and struts out with this sort of confidence in his walk and I shutter in disgust, the very idea is just so horrific that I can't even think about it without feeling my stomach churn. Reaching in my pocket, I pull out my old slider phone, dialing Pepper and wait as it rings for at least three times before I hear her voice come over the line.

"Hey Alex, I'm almost done at the office and should be leaving soon. Do you want me to order something for you at Connie's Cafe?" she asks kindly from other side of the line.

"Nah, don't even worry about it," I say, trying to my mind far from what Tony'll be doing the big blond idiot back at his place at that tower. Shuttering, I bite back a groan of disgust. "What exactly are you planning on going over with me when I get there. Obviously something to do with Stark's public or business meetings but what horror truly awaits me outside this casino I'm in."

Pepper's scarily quite for a few moments before finally speaking, my nerves flare when she does and it makes me wish I'd picked my words better. "Why are you at a casino...? Tony, he dragged you to a casino didn't he?" he voice is monotone by this point. "Is it that new place that just opened up down on what-that-street, Tony's been talking non-stop about it."

Nodding, more for myself than Pepper considering she can't see me. "Yeah. Anyways, just making sure you're close to being done at work, see you soon. Bye Pep," I say, hanging up the phone. Rising to my feet and head towards the door without even looking back on the loud, swaying drunks behind me. 

_**. . . .**_

_Damn_, that's all I can think as I climb the stairs of Stark Towers while attempting to be as silent as possible. JARVIS already told me where Tony and Blondie are and I've informed him to not mention my arrival to Stark. Seeing as I don't have the clearance to clear such an action, I simply asked him not to mention it unless Tony asks directly, which he won't.

Leave it to me to forget my purse in the living room of what could be considered the second Playboy Mansion, but while I may have to suffer the uncomfortable fallout of this, it'd be ten times worse if Tony actually found out about it. I can live with the trauma and play for years and years of therapy that's sure to follow this encounter.

All I know for sure is as soon as Pepper finds a replacement, I'm as good as gone. Dealing with Stark is like living in hell, except there's a lot less hell fire and it'd actually be a lot more peaceful than dealing with Tony Stark himself. However, the moment I step through the stairwell door to the living room of the tower, I immediately regret coming here.

While Tony and Blondie aren't doing it on the kitchen table of the couch, I can still hear their escapades from the living room, luckily I set my purse on the chair by the elevator door.

"Oh my God... Oh! Yeah... Tony! Right there, don't stop— aaaah!" she squeals loudly, as I hear the rocking of furniture and his animalistic grunts. She continues moaning like some chick out of a porno while I swipe my purse from the chair and make a beeline down the stairwell, once reaching the floor below the living room, stop worrying about how loud my high heels click against the concrete stairs.

As I exit the tower, I make my way towards the cafe, trying desperately to cleanse my ears of those godawful noises from my memories but only succeed in failing miscible, trying not to relive the horrific experience. From now on, I make a mental not to myself, I will either not carry a purse at all, or will always keep it on me wherever I go.

Putting a passive expression on my face, I cross the street of bustling traffic to where I see in big flashing purple letters: CONNIE'S CAFE. Not caring at all the honks I get or the glares from New Yorkers, if they have anything to say, they can say it. I won't hesitate to give them a taste of their own medicine. Pepper sits in a booth near the far back of the place, beside the back door.

Her strawberry blond hair is tied back in a ponytail, her lips are a rosy pink, she's dressed in a white business shut top and the same colored pencil skirt with red high heels to go along. Her emerald eyes are hidden behind sleek black shades, probably attempting to hide her identity to the rest of the civilians around us. Sliding into the booth, in the sear across from her, I rest my hands on the tabletop.

"So what is it I need to do now? I'm already emotionally scarred..." I pause, trailing off as my childhood flashes past my eyes before shoving it back into the dark recesses of my mind. "Well, more so that usual."

"I lied..." Pepper murmurs, biting her bottom lip in an apologetic manner. "This isn't about Tony. I got some news from California."

Narrowing my eyes, I feel my heart thunder in my chest like a racehorse running the track. "And...?"

"Alex, I really don't know how to say this but... The warden of the penitentiary called this afternoon and he told me that well, they released him," My heart stops. "Your father's been released from prison."

My breath catches in my throat and the room seems to spin like pinwheel. No, no, no, no, no, no, he can't be free, not now, not ever. Suddenly I can't seem to breath at all and Pepper reaches for my hand, muttering over and over that it'll be okay but she doesn't believe it, just like I don't. Nothing will ever be okay again, not as long as he's free to walk the streets.


	5. Phone Calls From Adelaide

From Ashes: Phone Call to Adelaide

A/N 2019: Normally I won't post quite this often, but I was at this chapter on quotev and wanted to be posting them in concession. Next chapter is the last of this and then we'll move on to a smaller chapter after the next.

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_**Here we go again with the next chapter of this new series of mine, so last time we found out that Alex doesn't really have a good relationship with her father and considering he went to prison, it must have been real bad. Anyways be sure to favorite this story and leave comments on what you think!**_

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Arriving back at the tower, I'm really not in the mood to deal with Tony's one-night stand but who cares what I want right? Seems the whole damn world has it out for me today and besides, I have an important phone call to make once in private. If dealing with Blondie gets me to my room in this godforsaken tower faster, than by all means, bring it on.

JARVIS actually informed me that Tony needed me to, ahem! Dismiss the lucky lady is his bed, but being in the shaken state I'm in, I waited until the last minute to decide to show up, it's not like they're my one-nighters, I shouldn't have to deal with this. Especially not now, but whatever, at this point I'm too tired, too stressed, to fearful of what awaits to worry about Blondie.

As soon as the elevator door dings loudly, doors peeling open, I step out and keep my strides in somewhat of a professional yet controlled manner. Tony was gracious enough to already have had her clothes taken to be dry cleaned by some unfortunate employee so all I was required to do was pick them up and dismiss her, allowing her to join the other girls on Tony Stark's Walk of Shame.

Rounding the corner, I see Blondie sitting on a bar stool, in only her underwear and a bra, she must not have wanted those two items dry cleaned and I thank whatever higher power up there for that. She sips a glass of steaming hot coffee, while I try to collect the same tone and passiveness I saw Pepper use on that other girl who was wrapped up in a bed sheet like some sort of naked ghost.

"Hello," I say, holding back a laugh as Blondie nearly falls off the stool. "Sorry, I did not intend to startle you. Mr. Stark had your clothing dry cleaned, here they are. There's also a taxi waiting outside for you."

She takes the bag of dry cleaned clothing but raises an eyebrow at me, presumably about the taxi bit. "Where is Tony? How come I can't see him, I mean we did do it after all."

Keeping my expression blank, I respond like a good personal assistant would. "Mr. Stark is a very busy man, you have to understand, I'm sure he apologizes about having to dismiss you without the chance of giving a proper goodbye."

"D-do you think he'll call me?" she asks, honey eyes glittering as I lead her to the elevator.

"JARVIS, please take the lady down to the main floor, open the elevator door once she's fully clothed and do not allow her to use the buttons to go to any other floor," I instruct him as I wave her into the elevator.

"B-but Miss...!" she exclaims, the elevator door closing on her before she gets the chance to finish her sentence. Thank you JARVIS, I mentally thank the AI before heading up the stairway and down the hallway to the left, where my bedroom sits at the other end of the tower, far from where Stark's bedroom is. I'd never get any sleep if my room was near him, I'd hear squealing girls, moaning, and laughing along with a squeaking and groaning bed.

Crossing the floor silently, I open the door to my room and slip in soundlessly. My phone is in my hand in a flash as I quickly dial the first number on my speed dial and wait as it rings. After three long and seemingly never ending wails, finally the phone clicks and a female voice sounds over the line, setting my heart at an ease.

"Hey Adelaide," I say, pausing in thought. Trying to figure out a way to ask if she knows yet. "Have you heard?"

She sucks in a deep breath before responding. "About that son of a bitch being released from prison, yeah, I did. Daniel's on a protective husband and child streak, not that I blame him. He doesn't want me going anywhere alone and especially not alone with the twins."

"Does Daniel know about..." I trail off, unable to say the word hanging off the edge of my tongue. Flashes of the horror of our childhood dances across my vision as I try to push it away as I assume Addy was doing as well, even if she was far from New York. She lives in a small little place in Michigan with her husband who she's been with for about ten years now.

Her two kids, the twins as we call them, Madison and Matthew are about to be five in December, I'll have to get Pepper to let me off a few days early so I can fly out there to attend their birthday party. To them I'm Aunt Tay rather than Alex, much easier for them to say or associate me with instead of such a distinct and usually boy name that has such sharp letter sounds.

"Yeah, he does. I told him about it a year or two into out marriage, but I don't want to worry about our father anymore Alex. How about we talk about that new job that Pepper got you. Working for Tony Stark, is he really as bad as the press says her is?" Addy laughs, her voice still weighed down in worry but I decided to drop the prior discussion.

"That man is an absolute nightmare Addy," I reply, laughing to lighten the mood. "He is obnoxious, self-centered, cocky, sarcastic, rude, irresponsible, pig-headed, womanizing... I hate him."

"Funny, especially seeing as that's your type. Are you gonna sleep with him? If you do, tell me everything about the experience and after, I'll take you to a health clinic to get checked out."

I choke on my own spit. "W-what!? Now way in hell would I ever, ever sleep with Tony Stark. I'd have to be roofied to ever sleep with him and maybe my past is one of the main reason for this change," I retort, glaring at the white wall in front of me, willing it to burst into flames with just my eyes. It doesn't, of course.

Suddenly, in the background for Addy's side of the phone call, I hear the sound of Madison calling out for her mommy. "Sorry Alex. I've gotta go take care of that, but be carefully. Especially now that he's loose, and I'll keep you up to date on what's going on with him if you'll do the same."

"Of course, I love you," I say and she does in response and after that, the line goes dead and I toss the cell phone on the bed top, sighing in complete frustration at the situation at hand. Subconsciously laying my hand over the flashdrive that hangs from a necklace around my neck that is often hidden beneath my shirt, in the hopes of making it through this disaster.

* * *

**Third Person POV:**

_Alone in the darkness of a chilly autumn night, she stood, watching through tired eyes as she awaited his arrival. He had been locked away for many years but now has finally been released after many strings she pulled, along with the aid of HYDRA as they too valued his expertise. And who better to retrieve the flashdrive around Alexandria Taylor's neck than her own father?_

_Despite what many might assume based on HYDRA's past, they do not support what Adelaide and Alexandria's father has done but his skill set and value overrides any disgust the higher-ups may have with him and as can be said for her own personal reasoning. The sound of footsteps is the only thing that alerts her to his presence, plastering a false smile on her face, she turns to greet him._

_"Hello Eric Williams. I've been expecting you..."_


End file.
